Monday, August 24, 2015

Susan's new leaf dies make really beautiful fall leaves. I wanted to make a wreath of all the different fall colors; Karen Burniston's Ring Accordion was the perfect base for such a card. I also wanted to use Susan's smaller leaves from a previous release to make matching shaker elements for the other side. The card makes a perfect decoration for fall or Thanksgiving.

For the words, I wanted to add foil in red and green. I have used Therm-O-Web's Deco Foil before but I recently bought some Heidi Swapp Minc foil on sale so I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately this did not work nearly as well as the Deco Foil - at least not with my laminating machine. I even put them through 5 or more times. There were gaps in the coverage. I may try ironing it with a craft iron next time.

Making the Card

1. In order to do foiling (optional), you will need to print the words using a laser printer (toner based printer). I printed these on yellow/gold cardstock. Create a document with the words "Thankful" and "Grateful" using a fancy font, making sure they are far enough apart to die cut around each (I put one on each side of an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet). Print and foil as instructed. I made "Grateful" with red foil and "Thankful" with green foil. For more instructions and another card example of foiling, see my Rainbow Foiled Greetings Birthday Card post.

2. Using the Ring Accordion die set, cut two green ring accordion frames. Cut two more, one from yellow/gold cardstock and one from yellow/orange - you will only use the centers of these so cut the tabs off flush to the center circle. Using the circle die, cut the center out of the yellow/orange circle to create a circle frame. Again using the circle die, cut the foiled words from the yellow/gold cardstock. Cut eight border pieces from the yellow/gold cardstock. Train the folds on both green frames.

3. Using Garden Patch -7/8-inch & Mini Leaves, choose the small leaves that look the most "fall-like." I also used the leaf dies from Garden Patch - 1 1/2-inch & Mini Roses (even though they are for flowers, they look enough like fall leaves). Cut a variety of these leaves from Shimmer Sheetz (see Supplies list for colors and links). These will be part of the shaker elements.

4. Using the smaller Woodland Leaves dies, cut several sets from each cardstock color: light green, green, yellow/gold, yellow/orange, and red. Chalk them in fall colors (I used the fall leaf colors from all three Pan Pastel sets; see Supplies for links). Draw vein lines on each leaf with green or red colored pencil. Shape leaves by rubbing with large stylus on backs and drawing a line down the middle with the leaf tool for the main vein. Curl edges of some using edge of a die pick or handle of a small paint brush.

5. To create the shaker, insert "Thankful" circle inside a heavy duty presentation sheet protector (or other pocket material) and put the circle die on top to use as a guide. You may want to adhere a couple of the Shimmer Sheetz leaves over top of the word (I forgot to do this first so ended up using tweezers; I also went too far around, making it difficult to add the shaker elements). Use the Fuse tool to go around outside of the circle die, maybe half way around or so. Add seed beads, Shimmer Sheetz leaves, and chunky glitter as desired (in front of cardstock - anything behind will not show). Finish sealing the pocket. Cut around outside of seal, close but leaving a small space around the seal.

6. Adhere four border pieces around one of the green frames then the yellow/gold circle to the center (tabs to the right - remembering the flat side is the bottom). Cut off the tabs that are sticking out from the frame (one on the center and one on the frame outside). Adhere shaker using double sided adhesive to the center, then the yellow/orange frame. Adhere two leaves as shown.

7. On the other frame, laying flat with the tab to the left (flat part bottom), glue down the last four frame pieces. Flip the frame. Adhere leaves to "Grateful" circle as shown. Stick this to the center of the frame using dimensional tape. Now for the tricky part. You will glue leaves around the frame, noting that the ones at the bottom that over-hang will have to be folded up to allow the card to stand (i.e. don't leave much over-hanging) and leaving the tab area relative clear so it may fold (any leaves that hit the other frame will also need to be folded). Keep in mind the types of leaves and colors while gluing them to the frame so that they make a pleasing pattern (I tried to keep from placing two alike type or color leaves together). It helps if you lay them out first before gluing.

8. Using strong adhesive, stick tabs as directed to assemble the card. Finish by adhering the final leaves to the front of the card. I didn't mind that the leaves on the reverse side showed from the front of the card since it is intended to be used as a display piece.

Monday, August 17, 2015

This is the second card I made using Oak Tree Stamps' Bear Hugs set! If you missed the first one, you can find it here; I had altered the stamp to look like a panda bear. This time I left the bear mostly as is, coloring it with neutral tones in contrast to all the colors in the birthday card.

Making the Card

Hint: when making cards, I suggest beginning by first choosing your patterned paper. This way you can match the card base and other elements to the colors in the pattern.

1. From blue cardstock, die cut a card base using the main die from the Square Flip-its #2 set.

2. Die cut the decorator pieces from patterned paper. Adhere where shown. Cut a square 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches. Stamp "You're the Beary Best!" in the center. Add doodling around the edges. Adhere to back side of flip panel. Optional: cut another larger decorator piece from white cardstock to stick to the back of the card as writing space. (Note: there is another photo of the back of the flip-it further on.)

3. Stamp bear in appropriate black ink on alcohol marker friendly paper. Color with alcohol markers. Find the list of Copic markers I used below Supplies. Hint, in the darker furry areas, color the bear first with the lightest color then start adding "hair" in progressively darker colors - add more of the darker hair in the shadows, leaving the highlight areas lighter. Add highlights to the bear's eyes and nose with a white gel pen. Rough cut around bear - leaving about half an inch of space. Adhere to a piece of black cardstock. The black behind the bear will show from the flip side of the card.

4. Cut around the outline of the bear plus around the arm that will hold the balloon string. From the back side of the bear, go around the edges with a dark gray marker (I used N7) to get rid of the white edge line. This gives it a more polished look.

5. Die cut balloons from red, green, and yellow cardstock using Balloons Triplits Die Set (I chose my red balloon to be larger than the yellow and green). With black pen, doodle around the edges of the balloons as desired. Die cut three strings from black cardstock.

6. To create the banner, cut a strip of white cardstock about 3/8 inch wide and maybe 4 inches long (you will cut it to size later). Lightly make pencil marks 2 1/8 inches apart where the greeting will go, sort of in the center of the banner to give you some wiggle room. Pencil "Happy Birthday!" within those marks. I tried to mimic the Bear Hugs font. Alternatively you could use a stamp. Ink over in black. Hold the banner in position on the card and mark the left edge. Cut banner to about 2 3/4 inches (the right tail will stick out). Cut a V from the right side. Hint: I make a small dot in the center where the V will meet then cut from each side. Doodle around the edges of the white banner with black pen. Cut red cardstock 1/2 inch wide and a bit longer than the trimmed down white banner (about 3 inches). Adhere white banner down center, lining up the left side flush. Trim a V on the right side to match the spacing around the banner. Adhere the banner as shown.

7. Temporarily place bear, green balloon, and string in place. Carefully adhere string end under balloon, plus under the loop, then balloon (not getting glue on back where it sticks up over card). Add dimensional tape under bear (again noting where bear sticks up over card and avoiding that area). Put string under bear's paw and stick him to the card.

8. Glue both balloon strings and yellow balloon as shown. Use dimensional tape to adhere red balloon. Tie a bow with the green ribbon. Adhere enamel dots and bow as shown.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Hello! Here's a fun Halloween card using the new dies from Susan Tierney-Cockburn. Fall/Halloween is my favorite time of year. I'm already seeing Halloween decorations in the stores so this is the perfect time to start getting ready!

3. Color die cuts. I used Copic alcohol markers (find the list of colors I used following Supplies). Hints: leave die cuts in place while coloring, i.e. don't remove them from the full sheet. If any come out, use Post-It tape or other removable adhesive on the back to hold them. This makes coloring much easier. When you don't want colors to blend, be sure previously applied colors are fully dry before adding new ones. For example, before drawing lines down the pumpkins or coloring stems, I made sure the base orange colors were fully dry. Put some colorless blender on a paper towel, press on jeans to give a light texture. Recommended: pencil in the owl's features (Google for images of owls) then use an "alcohol marker friendly" pen to go over them before coloring.

5. Cut background paper to fit card. Adhere all pieces as shown, using dimensional tape behind shirt, hay bale, and small front pumpkin (double up tape on side not on hay bale, single on hay bale). If you want the gates to look the same in the middle, flip one side.

Monday, August 3, 2015

This is my first post as part of the Oak Tree Stamps Design Team. Yay! Their stamps are so cute! They don't have many sets right now but there are some wonderful designs planned, so be sure to check back with them often! Also, I have a discount code good for 30% off this stamp set just for reading my blog! Use code MDP30. Alternatively, get the entire bundle of 5 sets for $32.50 off (!) using code OAKTREEFANS (only one code may be used).

Making the Card

1. Die cut base card Sizzix Card, Basic Step-Ups from light gray cardstock. Die cut front panel and step decorator pieces from Something Wonderful 6x6 Paper Pad, small heart pattern. Adhere to card base where shown. Using a black pen, doodle around each. Fold as instructed. You could fold first but you may want to flatten before doodling; I kept track of where I wanted the tree and bear to go.

2. From Oak Tree Stamps: Bear Hugs, stamp tree on Save the Date 6x6 Paper Pad floral pattern paper; stamp bear on Coconut Bazzill paper. Color bear as shown with alcohol markers (see list of Copics I used below Supplies). I modified the nose very slightly to look more like a Panda's nose (I suggest practicing on bears stamped on scrap paper first to get the look you want). I also colored outside the ears to make them more furry and added dark neutral grays around the eyes - a few shades down from black so you can still see the eyes. The gel pen really makes them pop - add small lines at the base of the eyes and dots for specular highlights. Add a little shine on his nose as well. Fussy cut around tree and bear leaving a margin. Adhere to card using dimensional tape.

Original stamp (left), middle and right are (ugly) practice bears on scratch paper.

4. Adhere buttons as shown using Glue Dots or other very strong adhesive; overlap and add dimensional tape under part of top (black) button as necessary (I used a double layer under the overhanging part). Tie twine in a small bow and adhere as shown. Adhere banner with dimensional tape.

I am Certified Copic Instructor and formerly a Class Instructor for Michaels (PaperEd: scrapbooking, card making, Copic coloring). My first design team was for Elizabeth Craft Designs 2014, followed by ECD's Susan Tierney-Cockburn's DT, 2015 - part of 2016, then finally back to the ECD team for the rest of 2016. I was also part of the Oak Tree Stamps DT 2015, Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko Artist in Residence Program 2016, Frantic Stamper DT Jan/Feb 2017 and Rubbernecker Stamps DT, Sep 2017-Jan 2018. I was a guest designer for Paper Smooches (October 2016) and Your Next Stamp (May 2017). I am currently on the Dreamerland Crafts and Xyron Design Teams.

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